Nintendo's Animal Crossing to hit the big screen.The popular Nintendo franchise Animal Crossing (Oide yo! Doubutsu no Mori) is slated for a move to the big screen in Japan. No plot details have been released yet, but it has been said that many familiar characters from the game series will be returning for the big screen adaption.
This full-length animated feature film does not have a firm release date, but it is planned to be released some time in December. Via Akadot

Famitsu extrapolates FFXIII detailsIn a recent issue of Famitsu (scans here), the Japanese gaming magazine took a look at Final Fantasy XIII's battle system. Viewing the latest battle screens, a bar that reads "ATB Cost" and drains with each command floats next to character HP. In the upper right-hand corner, a gauge fills to allow for an "Overclock" status, where enemies are slowed to allow for turn-based bullet time. Finally, one can make out "Lightning" to the left of ATB Cost. Could this be our beauty's name? It seems like the natural progression after years of Clouds and Squalls. Har! Famitsu

Wada suggests compounding Polymorphism™ in future after disappointing game salesAs reported by gamesindustry.biz after an interview with Square Enix President Yoichi Wada surfaced in a Japanese business magazine, the company is looking at moving into other markets than videogames. Current areas on the list for potential inclusion are Taito's expertise with the arcade games market as well as a more involved media strategy not unlike its recent foray into animation through Advent Children or past successes with popular anime series Fullmetal Alchemist. Does this mean that innovative games like Chrono Trigger are a thing of the past, and the only publications we can expect in the future will be part of the major pillars (FF, DQ and KH)? What is Wada doing to this company, anyway? Gi.biz

Super Monkey Ball "saves lives""Surgeons who warmed up by playing video games like "Super Monkey Ball" for 20 minutes immediately prior to performing surgical drills were faster and made fewer errors than those who did not, said Dr. James "Butch" Rosser, lead investigator on the study slated for release Wednesday." CNN